Court in Rabat upholds five-year sentence for lawyer Mohamed Ziane in embezzlement case

In the early hours of Wednesday, April 8, 2026, the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Rabat confirmed the initial verdict against lawyer Mohamed Ziane, sentencing him to five years in prison.

The court also upheld the five-year sentence for the second defendant, Rachid Bouroua, while the third defendant, Miloud Chtat, received a two-year sentence, with one year to be served.

All three defendants faced charges related to the embezzlement and misappropriation of funds from the Moroccan Liberal Party.

Previously, the Court of Cassation had overturned a decision by the appellate court that had reduced Ziane's sentence to three years, mandating a retrial.

It's noteworthy that Mohamed Ziane had already served a three-year prison term starting in 2022 in a separate case initiated by a complaint from the Ministry of Interior. This case included 11 charges, including "insulting judges and public officials during their duties through statements and threats intended to undermine their honor and the respect due to their authority," "insulting organized bodies," "publishing statements intended to influence judicial decisions before a final judgment is issued, and disparaging judicial rulings," and "spreading false claims and facts against a woman due to her gender...".